Bottle vendor



Feb. 13, 1951 E, s, WEGMAN 2,541,564

BOTTLE VENDOR Filed Aug. 27, 1949 EVERT S. WEGMAN ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE BOTTLE VENDOR Application August 27, 1949, Serial No. 112,763

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus and particularly to an apparatus for dispensing generally cylindrical objects such as bottles.

The invention is particularly applicable to a dispensing apparatus of the type where the bottles are disposed horizontally in a vertically stacked arrangement wherein the individual bottles are successively moved to the bottom of the dispensing structure from which they are separately dispensed.

More particularly, the invention is applicable to a dispensing mechanism of the aforesaid type in which the bottles are supported on their sides on a circular spiral ramp and are moved downwardly on the ramp by means of a rotatably pusher member centrally disposed inside the ramp.

In such a construction the necks of the bottles extend inwardly into contact with the pusher member. When a bottle is to be dispensed, the ramp being stationary, the pusher member is actuated either manually or -by a motor through a sulcient number of degrees of rotation to cause one bottle to fall oli the bottom of the ramp into a discharge opening. During this dispensing operation, all the bottles are rolled along the ramp by the action of the pusher member on the necks of the bottles. If one or more of the bottles is not well aligned on the ramp or if it moves in an irregular path, it may ride oil the ramp at its outer end and cause jamming of the dispensing mechanism. This is particularly true when at least a portion of the structure of the ramp is in the form of a cage through which the bottles may be loaded into the dispensing mechanism.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a guard structure for the open portion of the ramp, which structure is attached to the ramp but is readily movable relative thereto to afford easy access to the ramp for loading purposes.

A further object is to provide a guard structure or gate which is vertically movable relative to the ramp when a bottle is inserted in-its dispensing position on the ramp, but which will automatically return to its normal position when the inserted bottle has been properly located.

A more specic object is to provide a guard structure or gate having provisions built into it for preventing bottles from jamming against the vertical posts which form the supporting framework of the ramp.

These and other objects are effected by my (Cl. S12- 35) invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which: ,Y

Fig. 1 is a iront perspective View of a dispensing cabinet with the door open and having a dispensing mechanism therein provided with the guard or gate feature;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line II-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing a fragmentary portion of the ramp and guard assembly.

In the drawings, It denotes an insulated cabinet in which the dispensing mechanism II is placed. The vertical front opening is normally closed by a door I2.

The dispensing mechanism includes a circular spiral ramp I3 rotatably mounted on a xed vertical shaft I4 and a pusher member I5 also rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft I4' and disposed inside the ramp I3. The ramp is` here shown as supported between an upper spider I6 having horizontally and radially projecting arms Il, and a lower spider I8 having horizontally and radially projecting arms I9. The opposite pairs of upper and lower arms I'I and I9 are joined vby vertical posts 2li comprising channel-shaped members having a central web 2l and outwardly-extending flanges 22. rl`he extremities of the posts 2@ are fastened to the ends of arms Il and was by bolts 23.

Horizontal strap 'supporting members 24 are provided at regularly spaced intervals along each vertical post 2li and are secured thereto by suitable means such as welding. IThese straps serve as supports for a pairl of spirally-Wound tracks 25 and 26 which serve as the ramp on which the cylindrical articles, such as bottles, to be dispensed are supported. These tracks are here shown as wire members and are rigidly at tached to the horizontal straps as by welding. The lower ends of the tracks 25 and 26 terminate adjacentva chute 2l' into Which the successive bottles drop as the pusher member I5 is rotated step by step. From the chute the bottles are rel trieved by the customer through an opening (not shown) in the door I2.

The pusher member I5 comprises a cylindrical shell 353 extending the full height of the ramp and rotatably supported by upper and lower bearings (not shown) on the shaft li. Radial blades 3! extend at spaced intervals from the shell 39 and are fastened thereto by iianges 32. The space between two adjacent blades 3i re- 3 ceives the neck of a bottle 33, and the bottle itself is horizontally supported on the spiral tracks 25 and 26.

In the dispensing operation the ramp is held stationary by a latch 34 adjacent the top of the ramp and cabinet. The pusher member I5 is rotated a predetermined number of degrees sufficient to cause one bottle to drop yoi the ramp onto the chute 21. The pusher member may be rotated manually, or as here shown, by an electric motor 35 attached to the upper end of the ramp and driving the pusher member through suitable gearing 36.

When the unit is to be reloaded, the latch Se may be released and the electric plug 3f! vdetached so that the ramp and the pusher ymember may be rotated in unison to Ibring the various sections of the cage in front of the operator, or thepusher member may be operated separately, as in the dispensing operation, to bring the blades 3i successively before the operator. In the latter case, should any .bottles .remain in the machine they will be dropped onto the chute 'as the pusher is rotated and ycan be replaced higher up on the ramp by the operator.

In .a structure as herein described, there is ya tendency for .the bottles to ride youtwardly off the edge of the ramp as they are moved by .the

pusher member. This is particularly true as 'the necks of the bottles .are not firmly ,gripped between the blades 3l but Aare held loosely yenough so that they may roll down the ramp. To prevent the bottles so riding a guard member in is .provided between each pair of vertical posts 29. This guard member comprises a pair of supports lil each having a flange Al2 closely adjacent and parallel to the flange 22 of post 20 anda flange 43 bent away from the flange 42. Each flange v@i2 is provided with one or more vertical slots fifi for receiving a pin 45 xed to the flange 22 of post 20. In practice, at least two of these pin-andslot connections are provided for each cooperating pair of anges 22 `and 4.2. Suitable wires i6 extend between and are attached to the anges 43 of adjacent pairs of supports 41 which lie .between adjacent vertical posts 20. These wires are so spaced that when the guard assembly is in its normal position (Figs. 1 `and 3) they lie approximately half-way between each pair of wires 2.6 forming the outer track of the ramp. In this position they so guide the outer ends of the bottles that they cannot drop 01T or move outwardly from the ramp. The slotsI 44 vare made long enough that when a bottle is inserted neck first between a track 26 on which the bottle is to rest and the wire 46 above that portion of the track, the entire guard structure will raise sufliciently high to permit the bottle to be pushed into dispensing position, resting on the tracks 25 and 26 with its neck between adjacent flanges of the pusher member I5. When a bottle has been so positioned, the guard structure returns to its normal position by gravity.

It has been found that occasionally the outer ends of the individual bottles become misaligned and tend to jam against a vertical post 2t as the bottle approaches the post. To overcome this diiculty I provide an inwardly extending hump or crimp i? on each guard wire 4S adjacent the vertical post 2U toward which the bottles move as they are being dispensed. By this simple but effective construction the butt end of the bottle tor and which effectively prevents jamming of .the bottles on the ramp structure.

While I have shown the invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that 4it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

- -What I claim is:

l. Apparatus for dispensing articles separately,

said apparatus comprising a generally cyindrical structure through which the articles are moved toward one end thereof at which end they are dispensed, said structure having spaced substantially parallel members defining an open portion for the insertion and vremoval of the articles, and movable .guard means supported by the cylindrical .structure and normally closing the open portion thereof, said guard means having an inner hump surface projecting into the path traversed by said articles in .advance of one vof said members for guiding said articles past said one member during traverse through said structure, said .guard means being shiftable parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure to afford access to the structure for initial insertion of said articles.

2. Apparatus Afor dispensing articles separately, said apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical structure through which the articles are moved toward one end thereof at which end they are dispensed, said structure having spaced longitudinal supporting members disposed in a circumferential portion thereof and defining an open section of said structure for receiving said articles to be dispensed, movable guard means normally enclosing said open section of the structure and including guide elements projecting inwardly beyond the innermost surfaces of said supporting members for preventing engagement of any of said articles therewith while being advancedv through said structure, said guard means being slidable to an inoperable position relative to said structure to facilitate initial insertion of said articles.

3. In a bottle dispensing apparatus, a generally cylindrical outer structure disposed on a vertical axis and having spaced upright members defining an access opening, a spiral track mounted in said structure for guiding bottles through successive levels toward a discharge chute, a gravityresponsive arcuate gate slidably mounted between said upright members, said gate including a plurality of vertically spaced arcuate guide elements normally disposed intermediate the turns of said i spiral track for guiding said bottles through said successive levels, each of said guide elements having an inwardly-projecting cam portion formed in advance of the adjacent upright member for shifting said bottles inwardly during movement past said member.

EVERT S. VVEGMAN.

No references cited. 

